Joseph c



(No Model.)

. J. C. FOWLE SPAGBR FOR TYPE MA ES.

.No. 498, 125. Patented May 30, 1893.

Iyi '////////////////4- %veza/507? %lazer UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OSEPH C. FOVVLER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRIOT OF COLUMBIA.

SPACER FOR TYPE-MATRICES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. &98,425, dated May 30, 1893.

Application filed January 16 1893. Serial No. 458554. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH C. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spacers for Type-Matrices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the means employed for spacing and j ustifying a line of matrices, or matrix-plates, placed in such orderly arrangement as topermit the formation, by casting, of a type-bar of any desired length.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a device of the kind referred to which shall be oapable of elastic compression and expansion and partake so far of the characteristics common to all the matrices thatit may be manipulated by the same mechanism, its construction being such that it shall yield in proportion to the compression of the line of matrices, thus giving a uniform spacing throughp out the line, said spacer being provided with a nib, or point, which will project from the. intaglios of the series of matrices and enter the mold, the integral apex, or point, of said nib being removed from the line of intaglios and the edges thereof having such Construction that the mold shallclose without obstruction and by its closing movement rectify any slight lateral displacement of the spacer and form a tight joint with the edges of the nib, or point, to prevent the entrance of the melted metal.

It is my purpose, also, to provide a spacer capable of elastic compression, when interposed in the series of matrices, and provided with a nib, or point, having an integral apex the parts forming said nib diverging to and uniting with the members, or parts, forming the body of the spacer.

It is my further purpose to provide a spacer capable of elastic compression and provided with a nib, or point, composed of parts which extend from the members forming the body of the' spacer, and terminate in an integral apeX, the edges of said nib being suitably beveled to enable the mold to close without obstruction from slight lateral displacements of the spacer, and by its closing movement rectify such displaoement.

It is my further purpose to provide a spacer of the kind referred to, provided with a nib, or point, consisting of parts which converge from the body of the spacerand terminate in an integral apexthe lateral edges of said nib being suitably beveled to avoid obstructing the closing movement of the mold, and the opening between said lateral edges being closed throughout the beveled portion to prcvent the entrance of melted metal.

It is my purpose, finally, to provide a spacer of the kind named, having a nib, or point, eomposed of parts Which project from the body of the spacer, and terminate in an integral apeX, from which the lateral edges of said nib are beveled to diverge toward the body of the spacer, the parts composing the nib being forced together from said apex to the end of the beveled portion, and the other, fiat faces of the said portion being dressed off to converge slightly to the apex, whereby the cast type-bar can be removed without employing unusual force.

The invention consists, to the ends stated, in the new features of construction and novel combinations of parts hereinafter fully explained and then particularly pointed out and defined in the claims which follow this specification.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to fully understand and to make, construct and use the same, I will describe said inventionin detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is an elevation of the spacer containing my invention the point of View being in the line of the series of matrices and the mold being shown in dotted lincs. Fig. 2 is a section taken in the line 2-2, Fig. 1, part of the line-series of matrices being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a section of the cast type-bar, a portion of which is illustrated in Fig. 4:, the section being taken in the line 3-3 of the latter figure. Fig. 4 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a portion of the cast type-bar. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the spacer, showing a slight modification in Construction. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the parts illustrated in Fig. 5. Fig. 7, is an elevation of the spaeer showing a modified Construction of the nib. Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken through a portion of a type-bar which is formed bythe aid of the spacershown in Fig. 7.

The spacer l in which my invention is incorporated consists of two substantially similar members, or parts, which are indicated in the drawings by the reference -numeral 2. These parts are usually formed of a suitable quality of steel, though I do not restrict my invention to the use of this metal. The said members or parts 2 are comparatively thin, and are connected, either positively .or integrally, at their eXtremities, and maintained in contact from the ends to points between the same and the center, where they are swelled, or curved outward, forming opposite, exterior, convex faces, having a maximum separation at,or near, the center,.or in a line substantially coincding with the central, longitudinal line of theintaglios of the matrices, When thelatter are arranged for casting and the spacers inserted in the line,

From the edges of the separated, or con- VeXed portions, at the points-of maximum separation, proj ect portions, or parts 3, which are preferably integral with the members, 2, from .the edges of which they converge and unite integrally at an apex 4, which is separated from the edges ofthe members 2, of the spacer, by a suitable distance. At their bases, or at the points where they unite with said members 2, of the body ot' the spacer, the parts 3 of the nib are of the width ,of the mold, or

casting-box, in order that When the latter isclosed in position for filling the mold with melted metal, the lateral edges 7 of the nib may fit closely against the opposite faces of the mold and thereby close the space between said edges to prevent the entrance of the melted metal. This iS shown in Fig. 1, where the mold is indicated by dotted lines in ,its closed position,in readiness for the in jection of the fluid metal. the nib being formed in one piece which is folded, or .bent upon itself, at theapex 4, to

danger of themelted metal finding entrance atthe said apex is effectually avoided. As the mold moves up to the series of matrices and engages the nibs of the several spacers in the series, it is evidentthat, inclosingand making the accurate engagement with the edges of the nibs described, the severalspacers must be very accurately adjusted to. prevent' it from colli din gwith the nibs, should the lati ter be of .uniform. width throughout. To avoid the necessity ,of such accurate adjustment and, the danger of collision, by which the spacer would be injured, or destroyed, I bevel the lateral edges of said nib in such nanner as to diminish its width at the apex 4, but

leave the said :nib ot' full width at its base and preferably for a suitable distance adj acentthereto. By this Construction the apex 4 ofthenib is of less width than the interior of themold, and should any slght lateral displacement of the spacer occur, it will merely As the apex 4 is integral,

cause the mold, in closing,toin1pinge upon one or the other of the oppositely beveled portions 6 of the lateral edges of the nib. As these beveled portions are inclined at a small angle with the line of movement ot' the mold, the impingement of the latter thereon, as the mold closes, simply pushes the spacer in one direction, or'the other, until the nib is brought into accurate relations therewith. This movement is at all times extremely small, as the displacement, when it occurs, is limited by the Construction.

In View of the close fit required between the edges of the nib and the inner, opposite walls of the mold, in order to close the opening between the, converging parts of the nib and thereby preventthe melted metal from entering said space, it is essential that? the edges of the nib shall ,be separated by aninterval exactly equal to the; interior width of the mold. If this dimension was the same throughout the entire length of both edges, it is evident that perfect accuracy of-arrangement oflthe nib would be necessary in order.

be largelymultiplied by the insertion of each additional spacer in .the series of matrices,it is evident that the successful operation of .the

type-casting mechanism, in a practical sense dependsupon the removal of these conditions and the provision of means whereby those slight inaccuracies which are. inscparable from all mechanism maybe permitted, witha out creating objections of the character specified above.

Itwill readily be seen that the oppositely of the mold may take place Without. danger of injuring thenibs of .the. spacers, and without requiring special attention to accuracy of' v movement, or alignment, more. than is ordiform the two parts 3, it is evident that all narily exercised in mechanism oli` this. class.

Moreover, by this simple feature of construction the slightest inaccuracy, in arrangement i of thespacers, will be automatically corrected by the closing of the mold, in the manner already described.

i As it is-practically impossible to leave any open space between'the inner faces ofthe,

parts forming the nib, betweenthe apex4, and the end, or base, of, the beveled portion, 1 close said space pernanently by forcing the parts, or members 3 of the nib together, the rigidity of the. integral apeX 4 serving to retain them permanentlyin such relation.. By this Construction thevdivergenceof the' parts 3 of the nib begins upon a line uniting the .points where the beveled edges 6 intersect.

the parallel edges 7, which make a close fit with the opposite, interior faces of .the mold. This will be clearly, understood ,by Fig.2 of the drawings.

In order to enable the cast type-bar to be drawn off the nibs of the spacers, the opposite flat faces of the end of the nib, embraced between the two beveled edges 6, are slightly dressed off, as shown in Fig. 2, to form avery small angle of convergence toward the apex 4:. In the type-bar, when formed, the cavity produced by the nib is shown in Figs; 3 and 4, from which it will be seen that the bar will be easily drawn off the nib.

It is evident that I may bevel the lateral edges of the nib continuously, from apex to base, as shown in Fig. 7. In this case the apeX 4 will have a breadth equal to the thickness of the type-bar to be cast, and the interior opposite faces of the mold will be flared, or divergently formed, to correspond with the form of the nib, as shown in Fig. 7. The type-bar formed will correspond with the shape given the mold, as shown in Fig. 8, and

will be milled upon its opposite sides to remove the diverging portions 8.

The spacer may be provided with a singl nib, only, but if desired this nib may be duplicated upon the side of the spacer directly opposite, as shown in Fig. 5.

My present invention is an improvement upon that shown in the Letters-Patent granted to me and to L. G. Hine, of Washington, District of Columbia, assignor of one-half the entire right, upon the 8th day of March, 1892, No. 470,(549.

What I claim is-- 1. A compressible spacer for type-matrices, composed of normally separated parts having an elastic nib or point to form a fluidtight closure for the mold between adjacent matrices, said nib or point having lateral edges beveled to converge toward the extremities thereof, substantially as described.

2. A spacer for type-matrices, consisting of two members, which are normally separated by, but capable of compression against their own elasticity, said members being provided with a nib to form a fluid-tight closure for the mold between adjacent matrices and composed of parts which converge from said members and terminate in an apex of less width than the interiorof the mold, the lateral edges being beveled to converge toward the apex, substantially as described.

3. A spacer for type-matrices, consisting of two elastic members normally separated and compressible, said members being provided with a nib com posed of parts converging from said members and uniting at an apex which is integral with the parts composing said nib the lateral edges of the latter being beveled, substantially as described.

4. A spacer for type-matrices, consisting of two, elastic, compressible members, normally separated and provided with a nib composed to form a fiuid-tight closure for the mold between adjacent matrices and of two parts pro- JOSEPH C. FOWLER. [L. s.]

VVitnesses:

ALBERT H. NORRIS, G. W. REA. 

